Method of making toilet articles for personal wear.



' J. WILGOX. METHOD OF MAKING TOILET ARTIGLES FOR PERSONAL WEAR.

Patented Mar. 8,1910.

AYPLIOATION FILED APR. 25. 1908.

. J11 lm'm inn STATES PATENT FFICE.

.rosnria WILCOX, or Armor, MASSACHUSETTS.

IlVIIEl'IHOD'Qll MAKING TOILET ARTICLES FOR PERSONAL .WEAR.

asnaav.

specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 8, 119..

Application filed hpri1 25, 1908. Serial No. 429,1 l3.

This invention relates to a method of making ornamental backs or other parts of combs and similar articles which are formed from sheets of celluloid, viscoloid, pyroxylin, pyralin, shell, horn, rubber, or any other material from which such articles may be produced.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a simple and practicable method of producing that class of stamped or molded articles which are perforated and in which the surfaces of the skeleton between the perforations are rounded over so as to produce a pleasing and ornamental effect; and n' general to lmprove and simplify the method of roducing this part-ic- 2 ular type of comb ha is and the like.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing which shows a preferred. way of carrying out the invention, and in which Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of als, to change the form after the same has once been produced or molded in the form of sheets, is attended with many difliculties. In the first place it is well known that the celluloid, as well as kindred substances,

tends to return to its original condition; that is, to the first sheet form in which it was originally produced from the shapeless mass of plastic material. Even when a flat object is desired, it is necessary to provide for keeping it flat as the heating of the blank sometimes warps it. Several ways have been devised for attempting to overcome this natural tendency of the celluloid, but there are some forms of articles which have been produced ina permanent condition only with great difliculty and some what expensive manipulations. One of these forms is that Wl'llCll is perforated or punched to produce a figure of what may be called a skeleton form andin which it is desired to provide rounded over edges of the skeleton frame-work between the perforations.

One of the objectsof this invention is to provide a simple and convenient method of accomplishing this result.

According to this invention the results are obtained entirely by means of dies or stamps which are so formed and so manipulated that the comb back or the like, although formed from an ordinary flat sheet of plastic material, is left at the end-of the process in a permanent form so that it will retain its shape unless it is heated so as todestroy the condition of the stresses set up in the material. 'Heretofore the perforations insuch articles generally have been made partly by hand; that is'the-perforations in'some cases have been made by handwork; by cutting out each perforation independently either by an individual die or other cutting means. or by grinding on hollow projections formed on the back. This obviously is a slow process which makes it impossible for these arti cles to. be produced in coi'nmerciail quantities at satisfactory prices.

By this invention the entire article is produced by means of dies or stamps, and the heated blank is treated in such a way that the formation produced by one set of dies or stamps "will not be destroyed by any reheating process or by the action of any other dies or stamps which may be necessary.

Broadly stated the method is carried out as follows :The'blank of sheet material is heated to the proper degree and is then placed upon an embossing die which has an intaglio surface provided with rounded edges, so that the projections to be produced on the blank thereby will have rounded or curved. surfaces, and so that they need not be further treated after being remoyed from this embossing die. The embossing die is providedwith gages so as to properly locate the blank thereon, and a flat (lie is brought down upon the blank from above to press it into the embossing die. Theupper die is left in contact with the blank :1 short period of time to allow the impression tobe made.

and the material to set. The upper die is blank. On account of this construction the blank is so'located by the gages that it registers with the perforated die. The perforated die is preferably covered at a distanee above it by a perforated guide plate of a similar character. A perforating die or punch is then brought down through the two perforated plates so as to punch out the 1 parts of the blank left depressed thereon by the embossing die so as to leave the projecting parts of the blank in bold relief. On account of the. previous operation of the embossing die, the punches have comparatively little work to do, having only to punch through a thin web. Thus little power is required, but the chief advantage is that, little force being used, a high degree of heat is not required, and there is little tendency to distort the design previously made. Also the actual cutting operation is near the rear where the fin, if one is produced, is out of sight. In this way the article is produced in itsfiat form by two operations only, each of these being nearly instantaneous.

If desired the blank need not be immediately placed in the punching dies after it comes out of the embossing dies, but there may be an interval betweenthe two opera- I v tions. In this case it is much preferred not This die is shown as of flat form having an to allow this interval to be long enough to permit theblank to entirely cool ofi. If theblank retains a large amount of its initial heat which it had when it was embossed, it

can be slightly re=heated between operations without destroying the embossed surface or injuring it in any way, and the process may be carried out in that way, but I- prefer to make the process continuous. so that no reheating-4s required.

aReferring to the" drawing it will be seen that the set of embossing dies comprises a base 10 ,on which is mounted the die plate 11.

- upper inta'glio embossing surface which is provided with rounded depressions 12 so as to form rounded projections on the blank. Betw n the depressions. on the die are proectio 13 which when the die is used with the punching dies to be described, may be i of any desired character, but when used aloneto form ornamental unpertforated comb-backs, these projections are prov1ded with a stippled surface, the purpose of which is to produce an ornamental comb' or the like of translucent material having an embossed 'clear figure and a background having numerous small projections eonstitutmg a surface contrasting with the embossed portion of the article.

Located adjacent to the two edges of the embossing die are gages 14 and 15. These gages are supported by springs 16 and guided by pins 17 so that when the head 18 comes down upon the die plate the gages will yield and permit the proper compression of the material. It will be understood from what has been said thatthe'blank is heated before it is placed in thisdie, and

that the (lie is preferably 0 erated upon the table'of an ordinary mac ine, such as is well known in this art.

When the blank has been removed from this die after having been properly pressed and embossed, it is placed in a second set of dies which consists of a base 20 having a central opening 21 therein, and provided with a perforated die-plate 22 having perforations 23 corresponding in location and positionwith the surfaces 13 on the embossing die. Spaced a little above this plate is asecond perforated plate 2 f having similar perforations 25, and above it is a plunger ead 26 having die punches 27 corresponding with the perforations.- The space between the plates 22 and 24. is for the reception of the plastic material.

The die punches ,or cuttin dies 27 are preferably inserted in the hea 26 in an improved manner. For this urpose this head is provided with a depression 30 in the face thereof which conveniently may be of any desired shape, but is shown as dove-tailed and extending in from the outer surface for an appreciable distance. When the die is to be made, the punches are individually set on the bottom of this depression and spaced preferably by means of a templet ,or the like. In orderv to fix them permanently and securely im position, Babbitt or other metal is cast around them in the depression in the die. This holds them properly in position. These dies are made of tempered ,steel and on account of the fact that the blanks are heated when the die cutting is to be pershown and described but 'What' I do claim is 1. A method of makinghcomb-backs and the like, which consists in eating a flateeldo not wish to 'be limited to the details v 'luloid blank in sheet form, compressing it the blank is still heated, perforating the between dies to emboss one side thereof and make depressions in that side and extending part way through the blank, leaving the other sideflat, removing it from the dies, and thereafter punching vertically downv through and cutting out the parts of the;

blank which were depressed by the embossint dies.

Ainethod of making comb-backs and the like, which consists in heating; a'flat celluloid blank in sheet form, compressing it between dies, and making depressions in one face extending only part way through the blank, removing it from the (lies, and at the same heat thereafter punching vertically down through and cutting out the parts of the blank which were depressed.

3. A method of making co1nb-backs and the like, which consists in heating a celluloid blank in sheet form, compressing it be tween'a pair .of dies, one of which has aflat surface and the other an intaglio surface with rounded depressions so as to emboss one side thereof only, and thereafter, while the like, which consists in heating same by dies descending from above to cut out the parts which are left depressed by saidintaglio die. a

4:. A method of making colnb-backsand a celluloid blank in sheet form, compressing it between apair of dies, one of which has an intaglio surface with rounded depressions so as to emboss one side-tliereof,'removing it from the dle's, and thereafter placing the blank while Warm on a die having perfora tions corresponding in form and location with the projections on said intaglio die, so locating, the blank that theparts depressed by said intaglio die will register with said perforations and bringing a per forating the on the blank, said perforating die having diepunches fitting tie perforations in the perforated die.

In testimony whereofl have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH WILCOX. Witnesses:

OTHELL A. FAY, KATHERINE G. KEEFE. 

